From shabby to chic – how to save your neglected garden

Let me start by saying that there is no instant fix for a truly neglected garden. As is the case with almost anything you do, success is dependent on the amount of effort and time you invest into it – and your garden is no different. To make sure the time you commit to resurrecting your garden is well-spent, here’s a guide to only the very best gardening tips.

Transforming jungle to lawn

Before you begin to sculpt the garden of your dreams, first, you have to tear apart its rotting, old carcass. Invariably, grass dominates British gardens and I’m guessing that yours is no different. To transform this unruly jungle into a neatly manicured lawn, the first step is to use a strimmer to (you guessed it) trim the grass down to a level where you can attack it with a conventional lawnmower.

To remove any grass cuttings, weeds and debris, as well as to aerate the soil after you’ve finished mowing, you should scarify your lawn. Finish by scattering fertiliser. It might not look like it, but your garden is actually in far better shape, and in time will be positively glowing with health.

Save the tree!

Whilst it can be tempting to hack down all the surrounding trees that are stealing sunlight from your garden, you would be removing an unmistakable degree of character from your garden. Cutting off any excessive branches will allow light to filter through and preserve the habitat that can be home to a host of wildlife.

Fences aren’t what they look like

A perfectly painted pallet fence is often upheld as a staple of suburbia – yet it can be so much more. Pallet fences are versatile enough to look equally impressive as a coffee table or an innovative outdoor sofa. Simply flipped on its side, a pallet fence becomes a unique coffee table. Multiple pallets arranged in the right way can provide the foundation for an outdoor sofa replete with storage – all you need to add is a few cushions!

Accommodating furniture

In order to accommodate for the pleasures of outdoor furniture, you need some kind of decking or patio area. Of course, your options are dictated by the size of your garden. If you want to keep up a green look while installing a patio area, you may want to consider artificial grass for decking. Your furniture will be just as at home on the artificial grass as the decking itself.

Lighting can have a typically illuminating effect

Subtly placed lighting can transform your garden into an ambient, twilight sanctuary! Affordable string lights can highlight the perimeter of your garden, and adding a few tasteful garden lanterns is a simple way to add character to your garden. If this isn’t quite your style, a DIY alternative is to punch holes into an old paint/tin can (into a pattern of your choice if you’re feeling particularly creative), then light a candle within the can at night and watch your design come to life.